Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 298: 6-Member Birthday Party (1)

I was taken aback by Spark’s sudden appearance. Very much so.
“What on earth?”
There were five of them, but not a single one answered my question. They just kept cramming into the filming set. Then they started belting out the happy birthday song.
“Make a wish, make a wish!”
“The candle wax is dripping…!”
As soon as the song ended, Lee Cheonghyeon and Park Joowoo made a fuss on either side of me. I hurriedly clasped my hands, pretended to make a wish, and then blew out the candles.
Applause erupted from all around. Everything felt surreal.
“What is this, really?”
“What do you mean? It’s a surprise party.”
“Did you really think we wouldn’t come?”
Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon cheerfully chided me.
“What did you wish for?”
Jeong Seongbin asked as he pulled the candles from the cake. If I said I was so flustered I couldn’t wish for anything… that wouldn’t be right. I answered with the spirit of a professional.
“I wished for Spark to not lose its original passion and to keep running until the end.”
“Wow.”
Kang Kiyeon exclaimed briefly. Why? Isn’t that the most proper idol wish?
The chaotic atmosphere was settled only after everyone was seated.
“When did you plan this?”
“From the evening of the day you said you would do a solo live because the schedule was tight.”
Lee Cheonghyeon answered without missing a beat. His sincerity was palpable.
I looked at Jeong Seongbin and asked.
“Then what was that when you asked me if the broadcast prep was going okay?”
He had asked me with such a guilty look. I nearly broke a sweat insisting I was fine.
“It was a setup. I’m sorry, hyung.”
How could you do this to me?
Jeong Seongbin had betrayed my heart. The naive one wasn’t Mr. Gu Jahan, but me. Should I be impressed that these guys had the guts to deceive me, or should I charge them with high treason?
“We wrote you letters too…”
Park Joowoo shyly held out something he had been holding. It was a small, bass-shaped box made of foam board.
When I took off the rubber band and opened the lid, I saw five neatly folded pieces of colored paper. I saw this colored paper when we were preparing for the potluck party. It was definitely that.
“Can I read it?”
“It’s a bit embarrassing, but I’ll allow it.”
With Lee Cheonghyeon’s permission, the unscheduled letter-reading corner began.
The one on top was Kang Kiyeon’s letter.
“To Iwol hyung. Hello hyung, happy birthday…”
A handwriting as sharp as his features greeted me.
To Iwol hyung
Hello, hyung. Happy birthday
You’ve often written me letters or memos, but this is the first time I’m writing one for you
My handwriting isn’t strange, right? I’ll try to write as neatly as possible
I remember the day I first met you
I thought, a scary hyung has come, with your expressionless face and tall height, but after seeing you treat us warmly in just one day, I thought, ah this is what it means to be the elder one
Even though I started as a trainee first, I feel like I barely helped you at all. I’m sorry for that
.
.
.
But you have to admit that it was too much of you not to tell us your birthday in advance, right?
I’ll make sure to celebrate it from now on. Happy birthday once again
From Kang Kiyeon
Next came Lee Cheonghyeon’s letter. This guy was talkative even in his letter.
To our Undead Gorgeous Black Cool Water Iwol hyung! (That name came from Bubblepop with Sparklers—no objections allowed.)
Happy birthday~! I really waited for this day!
Thinking that our hyung has become even more of an adult brings tears to my eyesㅠㅠ
Even though you’re already adult enough. It feels like only your time is going twice as fast~~
Are you having a fun and good broadcast?
You don’t have to answer. We’re going to come in while watching you anywayㅋㅋㅋ
.
.
.
What kind of birthday party should we have for your thirtieth?
Since you like jjolmyeon, how about the six of us eat 30 servings of jjolmyeon? Would it be a bit much to eat only jjolmyeon on your birthday?
But they say noodles are a symbol of longevity. I think it’s a good idea for a birthday. I’ll keep it in mind for now!
Anyway the bottom line is, I love you! HBD our eldest hyung!
— From Cutie Pretty Visual—
On the other hand, there was also an extremely concise letter.
Kim Iwol
Happy birthday
I suggested we give you protein as a birthday gift, but the other kids were against it, so here we are
You really didn’t notice. I thought you’d figure it out right away
I think you wouldn’t notice even if I wrote the letter right in front of you, but Lee Cheonghyeon said he wouldn’t let it slide if I got caught, so I’m writing this in my room
Looks like Park Joowoo has a lot to say to you, he just kept writing
But protein’s not a bad idea, right? You have to build muscle anyway
If you need it, tell me, I’ll share
Have a happy birthday
But if the sender was Choi Jeho, even a blunt letter transformed into one filled with painstaking effort.
I’m sure of it, this guy must have agonized for 30 minutes after writing ‘Happy birthday.’ You could see the flow of his gaze in the letter. It was so obvious that he struggled to write something.
Who would have thought that Center Emperor Choi Jeho was a guy who could write a letter like this. This drill instructor was moved.
On the other hand, Jeong Seongbin’s letter was long and packed, even at a glance. He must have thought writing directly on colored paper would be hard to read, he had even added a white paper inside. Around it were stickers that were presumed to have been shared by Ms. Choi Miho.
The content was closer to a petition than a letter.
To Iwol hyung
Hello, hyung! It’s Seongbin
First of all, happy birthday!
It was the year before last that you made me seaweed soup when I was a trainee, and I’m only now repaying the favor
I’m sorry it’s so late, and thank you for eating it deliciously nonetheless
.
.
.
And there are a few things I’d like to ask of you
First, please take good care of your health
Second, I hope you eat well
Third, I hope you go to bed before 3 AM!
As this is your first birthday being congratulated by the Sparklers as well, I hope it’s an even happier birthday than last year
I’ll look forward to the broadcast! See you on your birthday hehe
Sincerely, Jeong Seongbin
After reading the letter, which I couldn’t tell if it was a birthday congratulatory letter or a health checkup result, I was afraid to open Park Joowoo’s letter.
The last remaining letter was as thick as Choi Jeho had predicted. It was a whopping two pages long.
Hyung hehe it’s Joowoo
Skipping your birthday twice in a row… that’s too much X(
But since it’s your day, doing whatever you want is what matters most, right?
That’s why I’m so happy I can finally celebrate your birthday properly.
Since you’re twenty-two, I thought about writing ‘happy birthday’ twenty-two times, but since you told me to delete repetitive words when writing, I won’t
.
.
.
I thought he would ask when we were going to start a band, but that wasn’t it. Park Joowoo purely just congratulated me on my birthday.
.
.
.
Let’s celebrate our birthdays together next year and the year after too
Let’s live every day like a movie. Promise!
P.S. Even if you forget my birthday twice, I’ll forgive you
It was a heartwarming letter. I even got a get-out-of-jail-free card, what better gift could there be?
“Thanks, everyone. I’ll cherish it.”
“…This case too?”
Park Joowoo asked, holding up the clumsy letter case. The rubber band dangled loosely around the fake neck. I answered that I’d cherish that too.
“You don’t have to keep that one.”
As he said that, Lee Cheonghyeon, who had been sitting at the edge of the table, shot up and waved his arms.
At the signal, Manager Chanyoung brought a giant black object and handed it to Lee Cheonghyeon, who had moved out of the frame.
“The real thing is here!”
“What?”
I couldn’t make sense of what he meant. I must’ve been too shocked for my brain to work.
It was then. As the object, which had been hidden by Lee Cheonghyeon and the manager’s bodies, was revealed, my mind went blank.
The identity of the large, black object was an instrument case.
“Here! The real gift!”
Lee Cheonghyeon smiled brightly and held out the case.
My heart pounded.
“Open it.”
Kang Kiyeon said as he cleared the table. A heavy instrument case was placed in the middle of the empty table.
‘If you can’t take your eyes off it, at least don’t lie about it..’
Why was my noona’s words coming to mind now?
Was it because I had a dream about my noona this morning by chance? Or was it because I had thought about the club while talking about college with Jeong Seongbin’s family?
The familiar texture and the sound of the zipper opening messed with my head. My fingers trembled.
When the lid of the case opened, a pure white bass guitar appeared before my eyes.
‘Ah.’
I thought my heart was going to stop. For a second, I thought it was the same bass my noona had bought me.
But it wasn’t. A quick glance was enough to tell that it was a completely different type. It was a good instrument that only an intermediate player would use, and the price was much higher.
“This is…”
“It’s your gift.”
Jeong Seongbin said. I couldn’t seem to organize my thoughts.
‘Do you still play the bass?’
“You always use the shared bass, hyung. So we all chipped in and bought you one!”
‘What instruments do you know how to play?’
“I’ll put in a request next time…”
‘Should I get a more expensive one if you’re going to play for a long time?’
“We asked the A&R team for advice before buying, but I’m not sure if it fits your hands well.”
‘Anyway, as long as you’re having fun with it, that’s enough.’
“Enjoy your hobbies too. Don’t just work.”
My head was a mess. As I was forcibly put on an emotional roller coaster, Choi Jeho nudged me with his elbow. He pointed with his chin at the small package he’d given me earlier.
What is it, now? Don’t make me more distraught. My mind is already complicated enough.
Grumbling inwardly, I opened the black envelope I hadn’t been able to open earlier.
Two picks came out from inside.
“Noona chose the gray one. I chose the black one.”
Choi Jeho said.
“I said I’d congratulate you, didn’t I?”
Damn it.
I fiddled with the two picks in one hand and the bass in the other.
Noona. I miss you.
“Thank you.”
I miss you a lot.
“Thank you… so much.”
But isn’t it strange?
When I’m with these guys, somehow I feel comforted. Like I can hold on until I see you again. Maybe because they remind me of you. Maybe because they’re just as kind as you are.
It was the first time I had stammered this badly in front of a camera. And it was all their fault.
You hopelessly kind fools. If I end up with an attitude controversy, you guys better take responsibility.